Okay, I guess I’ll kick this off as I have seen the film as of this morning.
NO SPOILERS I PROMISE
Full disclosure - I am a lifelong Star Wars fan. It came out when I was four and it was the first film I ever saw in the cinema. I adore the original trilogy and tolerate the prequels, despite their numerous (many) flaws. And I really like The Force Awakens with some minor quibbles. Rogue One left me cold.
I made a conscious decision to avoid all trailers, tv spots, articles, featurettes - everything for The Last Jedi so I could go in totally spoiler-free.
And, I enjoyed (almost) every second of it.
First off this is a hell of a ride. A non-stop rollercoaster of action and emotion. And it’s damn funny in places, a hell of a lot more than I expected. And it does not go the way you think it will. At all. And that may be a problem for some.
It’s a hard balance to strike. Go the tried and trusted route or try something audacious and new? And you’ll never win no matter which way you go.
Is it a great film? Yes.
Is it a great Star Wars film? Yes.
But…be wary of all-out raves. No film is perfect and this is no exception. There were a couple of clunky moments and one subplot in particular that did nothing for me.
I think it’s going to be a divisive film, possibly more so than its predecessor. Will your enjoyment depend on how spoiled you are? Possibly. But having looked at the trailer now I’m glad I did what I did. And I will be doing the same for Episode 9.
I’m being incredibly wary of spoilers hence the vagueness. But if you have questions - shoot.
It’s always a very overwhelming experience seeing a Star Wars film for the first time and I’m still processing it. I am really looking forward to seeing it with a paying audience at the midnight screening on Wednesday night as there are a great many crowd-pleasing moments.
And I totally see why Lucasfilm / Disney / Kathleen Kennedy have given Rian Johnson the keys to the kingdom. He GETS it. And I can’t wait to see what he comes up with without being bound by the characters and elements he has to work with here.
So, go and see it on the biggest, loudest screen you can, enjoy it and make up your own mind.